noobs elusive 1st contract

[Eirikur]

I think finding a contract whilst still a permie on a notice longer than 4 weeks would be close to impossible these days. I also resigned from my previous job before taking the plunge - I had a 7 week notice and although my cv was getting attention the conversations I had with agents were really short when I dropped my notice period. I managed to find my first contract 2 weeks after my last day but I think I was a bit lucky..

There's a lot of competition out there and permies are a much higher risk as quite often they can be persuaded to stay.

Just lie to the agency about the notice period or say something along the lines of "normally they are willing to let people go within 4 weeks", if you have a successful interview and they really really want you, you explain the situation and they are most of the time willing to wait a few weeks extra.

[heyya99]

The real glory days were when it was a genuine finish Friday, start Monday, rate increases without asking in case you fancied clearing off, as soon a you finish a role, phone rings it's knackers off, no real need to look for a role, faxing timesheets, typing invoices, actually posting stuff in a postbox, easily outsmarting HMRC and VAT people, no need for building access, no compliance, 486SX25 desktop or IBM PS/2, DEC TeamLinks, 10Base2, jumpers for goalposts, three rings when you get there, stray dogs, manual chokes and Pounds, Shillings and Pence....

Oddly, reads like a Radiohead lyric

[StillBreathing]

For most contractors I've met over the years, I think they usually have the first one lined up before making the leap from permiedom, often through contacts at their current employer (or competitor).

Sometimes it's finding the second one that can be tricky!

HTH.

I think finding a contract whilst still a permie on a notice longer than 4 weeks would be close to impossible these days. I also resigned from my previous job before taking the plunge - I had a 7 week notice and although my cv was getting attention the conversations I had with agents were really short when I dropped my notice period. I managed to find my first contract 2 weeks after my last day but I think I was a bit lucky..

There's a lot of competition out there and permies are a much higher risk as quite often they can be persuaded to stay.

[SueEllen]

no one states a rate in a CV for each contract.

You can just say "interim" for the FTC

Or you can say nothing.

I had many agents presume my last permie job was a contract.

I only corrected people if asked directly.

[northernladuk]

Sorry for stating the FTC. The only reason I said it is because it will show he has been contracting on his CV.

If it did he would be lying. FTC is a contract if employment and has nothing to do with contracting.

[Eirikur]

Sorry for stating the FTC. The only reason I said it is because it will show he has been contracting on his CV. The new gig won't need to know that he was a FTC, just say Contractor and say a daily rate.

It is a sacrifice to become more appealing. I did it when I started and it paid off. Also did a few other things slightly more immoral, also paid off.

no one states a rate in a CV for each contract.

You can just say "interim" for the FTC

[LondonManc]

Sorry for stating the FTC. The only reason I said it is because it will show he has been contracting on his CV. The new gig won't need to know that he was a FTC, just say Contractor and say a daily rate.

It is a sacrifice to become more appealing. I did it when I started and it paid off. Also did a few other things slightly more immoral, also paid off.

Say Contractor and find out via reference check that he was an FTC employee? What a trusting way to start a business relationship. Better establish yourself as an out and out contractor rather than the permietractor mindset that you seem to be pushing him towards.

[Drei]

Sorry for stating the FTC. The only reason I said it is because it will show he has been contracting on his CV. The new gig won't need to know that he was a FTC, just say Contractor and say a daily rate.

It is a sacrifice to become more appealing. I did it when I started and it paid off. Also did a few other things slightly more immoral, also paid off.

[LondonManc]

Have a master CV now ready to tailor.

Of the 10 versions, which one do you decide to keep searchable on the boards?

I have a general all-round CV, with major focus on what I enjoy most. If they then contact me and we go into details on a role, I can start hacking down the master cv to suit the job. Rather than 10 cvs, 1 master, 1 simple and the rest bespoke for role specs is the way I work. If I was you, based on this thread, I'd go with a master, a PM and a PMO cv to start with and then you can tailor the master to suit any roles that the others don't fit.

[rjoe]

Have different versions of your cv ready
I have about 10 versions all tell the truth, but slightly different focus on specialization, jyst make sure you have the right buzz words, because that's what the agencies search for.
In most version of my CV I'm a PM, but the focus of specialisation can be on infra, software, CRM or telecoms in one version I'm mostly a BA and in one I'm a hybrid PM/BA

Have a master CV now ready to tailor.

Of the 10 versions, which one do you decide to keep searchable on the boards?